The truth about work life balance

One Saturday, my husband and I were with the kids at a Sesame Street show and he ran into one of his staffers who had given an elaborate excuse as to why he couldn't put in extra hours that day. The guy turned red when he say my husband (his boss) and realized his excuse has tripped him up. It's taken me a long time in my work/life balancing act but with some lectures from my husband, I finally learned the value in a simple "no."

On a blog post today, one author writes: "Was told today by the therapist that I reveal too much to people that I meet. We are trying to get me to work a little less and prioritize my personal life a little more, and I thought I was doing that when I told my manager yesterday that I refused to go into work because I needed to take care of myself. "He doesn't need to know that," she said. "Just 'no' works."

The way I see it, you are the only one who cares about your work/life balance. Most people take a job in which they are supposed to work only 40 hours a week but actually are expected to put in a lot more. A new survey shows half of young people consider quitting because they do not have good work/life balance. Expert Stew Friedman from Harvard Business Online says: Unfortunately, while it might seem noble in the short run to sacrifice the needs you have to cultivate your mind, body, and spirit, over time it's a recipe for burnout.

If you are called to work on a day off or asked to put in more hours...just say no and remember, refrain from feeling the need to explain why. Have you ever offered up a reason for needing time off, only to have it work against you? Do you think your boss would care about your need for time for yourself or family?